Canto V: Whose Radical?

Days have gone when he spoke; Yes, years turned yester-years, When the wide-mouth spoke last; Yet, he dwells in a brighter horizon: A city of opulence & flamboyance; Had he spoken before the oracles, Then, a radical he is? Isn’t it true while the aim Was the radical enemy’s camp, The blow from war-heads was on us; That courtesy of peace & unity Left the cities unto full fires – Had he spoken before the oracles, Then, a radical he is? No! not a radical, but a hard-liner; To defy their air-raids of hunger, Famine, tribalism, corpse-cum-coups In the civilised city of Africa And in defence of my people – Had he really spoken at the oracles, Then, a hard-liner he is? Days are dead & the dead have fled; In the city of Rome roam cowards! There remains none to defy the deaf pigs; The cities breed thugs & hooligans: Those masters of ignorance & arrogance – Had he really spoken at the oracles, Then, a hard-liner he is?